Floor-washer.



PATENTED JULY 30, 1907.

' A.LORD.

FLOOR WASHER.

APPLICATION FILED JULYZ, 1906.

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ANDREW LORD, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

FLOOR-WASHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 30,1902.

Application filed July 2, 1906. Serial No. 324,300.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ANDREW LORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Floor-Washers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to improvements in floor washers.

The object of the invention is to produce an improved device for washing and scrubbing floors and floor coverings of various characters, and for removing the water and dirt after or in the course of the Washing operation.

The invention consists in the improved floor washer hereinafter described as defined in the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a floor washer embodying the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a vertical section.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises means for scrubbing the floor, means for applying washing fluid to the floor, and means for subsequently drying the floor and removing the dirt therefrom.

The scrubbing device consists of a number of flexible strips 1 of rubber or other suitable material which are arranged parallel. and presented edge-wise to the floor surface, as shown in Fig. 2. These strips are se cured together between spacers 2 by means of through bolts 3. The apparatus rests with its entire weight upon the strips 1 so that they are firmly pressed against the floor surface. Notches 4 are cut at intervals in the strips to facilitate the distribution of the washing fluid upon the floor surface.

The scrubbing device is secured to a framework 5 having upwardly-extending ends 6. A handle 7 is pivoted to the ends 6 and 'is used to move the washer back and forth upon the floor surface.

The means for applying washing fluid tothe floor comprise a cylindrical receptacle 8, which is pivotally mounted at its ends, as shown in Fig. 1, by means of trunnions 9 engaging the ends 6. A discharge pipe 10 on the side of the receptacle is provided with a lateral extension 11 having an open end and joining the pipe 10 at a short distance from its closed extremity so as to provide a recess 12. A valve ball 13 in the discharge pipe 10 normally rests upon a conical valve seat 14 at the inner end of the discharge pipe. The receptacle 8 is provided with an ear 15 to which is pivotally connected a rod 16, supported at its rear end in a guide 17 on the handle 7 and provided with a bent extremity by which it may be conveniently grasped and moved. The receptacle 8 is provided with a filling tube 18 closed by a suitable plug. Water or pulls the rod 16, thereby rotating the receptacle until the discharge pipe 10 is in lowered position. The valve ball then rolls into the recess 12, affording a free outlet for the Washing fluid, which is discharged through the pipe 11 and falls through a slot 19 in the center of the rubbing device to the floor surface. The washer is then drawn back and forth by means of the handle 7 and the scrubbing device distributes the washing fluid over the floor surface and loosens the dirt therefrom. In order to remove the dirt so loosened and to dry the floor surface the floor washer is provided with roller 20 of absorbent material such as sponge or cotton felt. This-roller is pivoted upon trunnions 21 engaging arms 22 and 23 pivoted upon the frame ends 6. A cross bar 24 connecting the arms 22 and 23 is connected by a link 25 with the handle 7, and during the normal operation of the floor washer the link 25 operates to hold the arms and the drying roller clear from the floor. When it is desired to dry the floor, however, the handle 7 is depressed sufficiently to permit the drying roll to engage the floor surface and absorb the moisture therefrom. The arm 23 is slotted at 26 so that the drying roll may be removed from the arms and rinsed or dried when necessary. A latch 27 pivoted at 28 to the arm 23 retains the roll trunnion normally in position in the slot 26.

The invention is not limited to the details of construction and operation of the-illustrated embodiment but may be embodied in other forms broadly defined in the claims.

1. A floor washer havingv in combination, a body portion provided with scrubbing" means, a handle pivotally connected with the body so that it may be raised or lowered without affecting the position of the scrubbing means, and a drying roller pivotally connected with the body and connected with the handle so that it may be thrown into or out'of operation by lowering; or raising the handle, sub stantially as described.

2. A floor washer having, in combination, scrubbing means comprising rubber strips presented edgewise to the floor and sustaining the weight of the device, means under control of the operator for delivering washing fluid to the floor between said strips, a handle for operating the device,

of two witnesses.

ANDREW LORD.

Witnesses MINNIE F. SWARTHOUT, Roy P. JAMES. 

